san francisco: Talk about buyer's market creates wrong expectations
- 09/28/07 10:47 AM
While it is a Buyer's Market in virtually all parts of the country, it doesn't feel like it in San Francisco, at least not in the halfway decent neighborhoods. Only, my clients don't seem to believe it. A couple who is unfortunately completely unrealistic about what they can afford, and what they think they can buy a particular property for just won't listen to me. They watch TV and hear report after report about the housing crisis and that you can buy a home for way below the asking price and get a real bargain. I show them the comps in … (1 comments)
san francisco: Poaching Clients
- 05/29/07 11:55 AM
Recent comments from my clients made me listen up: other agents are out there to poach clients. Generally I don't have a written buyers agency agreement with my clients, because my relationship with them is based on trust. Only sometimes it makes me feel a little uneasy. Lately when my clients have been going to open houses they have been getting the same question: "Are you working with someone?" And when my clients then dutifully say that they have an agent in San Francisco, they figure that the conversation would end then. But no, it doesn't. See, my clients are looking for property in Marin … (8 comments)
san francisco: The price of Sun
- 05/25/07 09:24 AM
Sitting in the fog of San Francisco's Inner Sunset looking out of my office I wonder whether it's sunny in Noe Valley. And it could be. San Francisco is one of those amazing places with many microclimates. And these microclimates influence the price of property in the city. In Noe Valley, where it is generally much sunnier than in other areas of the city, median prices are much higher than in the Outer Sunset, where you could be at the beach --- that is if you could see it through the thick fog. Here's the comparison of Single Family Homes sold in April 2007: Noe … (0 comments)
san francisco: San Francisco MLS adds cool new features
- 05/24/07 05:34 AM
The San Francisco MLS recently added some cool new features that are now available to clients.If you currently have searches set up through me (or any other SF Realtor) and receive automatic emails with new listings you will have received an email from your Realtor inviting you to access your own "Client Portal". Your Client Portal consists of three tabs: Newly Matched Listings, Saved Listings and Rejected Listings. You can navigate through these tabs and listings with the click of your mouse, save listing or reject them. You can even make comments on these listings which will then be sent to your Realtor.Your Client … (0 comments)
san francisco: Marin is new stomping ground for San Francisco Real Estate Agents
- 05/24/07 05:27 AM
Finally a reciprocal agreement has been reached by the San Francisco MLS and the North Bay MLS to give brokers in both areas access to each others listings. This is great news for San Francisco agents who previously had to refer their clients to other agents once their clients were ready to move out of San Francisco and up into the relative tranquility of Marin.What does this mean for buyers? A buyer who's still unsure about whether to buy in San Francisco or Marin now only has to engage one real estate agent in the search process. No more juggling between … (0 comments)
san francisco: MLS provides great map for San Francisco Buyers
- 05/24/07 03:34 AM
The San Francisco Multiple Listing Service provides a great map for home buyers to help them narrow down their search to specific areas. Whenever I meet with a new client for the first time I use these maps to figure out exactly what area my buyers would like me to search for property for them. Here's the link: http://www.sfarmls.com/docs/areamaps.htm Does your MLS provide these maps? … (4 comments)
san francisco: The Ins and Outs of Rental Properties - from a tax standpoint
- 05/15/07 08:55 AM
Imagine you are suddenly offered a job in another city, but don't want to sell your house or condo just yet. Should you rent it out for a while? The answer to this question depends not only on your feelings about becoming a landlord, but also on financial and tax considerations. First of all, rental income is taxable on Schedule E of your individual tax return. Luckily, there are many deductions you can legitimately take: Mortgage interestProperty taxesCondo/Homeowner's feesInsuranceUtilities (if you pay them instead of your tenant)Repairs (but not improvements to the property)Management fees (if you use an agent to rent out … (1 comments)
san francisco: Check your Withholding Taxes before Buying a Home
- 05/15/07 04:38 AM
Many people assume that as soon as they buy a house their taxes will decrease dramatically. This is not necessarily the case. What are the components that will reduce your taxes, ie. what can you itemize?1. Mortgage interest on a loan of up to $1m and a home equity loan of up to $100k2. Property taxes3. State taxesNeither condo fees, homeowner's insurance, nor repairs or maintenance are deductible. Of course there are other deductions, but we'll just concentrate on the big ones here."I pay a huge amount in mortgage interest, property taxes and state taxes. So why do I still not … (3 comments)
san francisco: What can an Exclusive Buyer Agent do for you?
- 05/15/07 04:34 AM
Traditionally real estate agents have always represented the seller in real estate transactions. By law the listing agent owes fiduciary duties to his client, the seller, and has to get the best price and terms for his client. This often comes at a price for the buyer, namely that the listing agent may reveal anything about the buyer to the seller, including the maximum price a buyer is willing to pay. Revealing such information to the seller reduces the buyer's negotiating power. The buyer is treated as a customer, not a client.So what is a buyer to do? A buyer should … (5 comments)
While it is a Buyer's Market in virtually all parts of the country, it doesn't feel like it in San Francisco, at least not in the halfway decent neighborhoods. Only, my clients don't seem to believe it. 
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